Grain-separator



0. AQRIECK. GRAIN SEPARATOH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, I920.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, Suva/mica a A fi [c/r aflommido UNITED STATES CHARLES AQBIECK, 01: DELANO, CALIFORNIA.

GRAIN-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed February 9, 1920. Serial No. 357,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Rrnon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delano, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Separators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in grain separators, and ithas more particular reference to a device of this class wherein the chaff and small faulty grain is separated from the heavy desirable or useful grain through the medium of water, by depositing or dumping the grain to be separated on the surface of a body of running water, whereby the light, waste grain will float on the surface of the water and will be carried through a waste pipe to a suitable place of deposit; while the heavy useful grain will not float and will drop by gravity to the bottom of the water tank and will be saved.

The object of the invention is to generally improve upon andto simplify the construction of devices which operate in the aforesaid manner, also to provide a device which is extremely effective in operation, one which is of such construction that it will insure that the water is supplied properly so that the separation of the grain will be effective and continuous, one which includes an adjustable feed chute on which the grain is deposited before falling on the surface of the water which separate it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which requires very little attention on the part of the operator, it being automatic in operation; one in which the parts are so arranged and correlated, that during the operation, only the surface of the water will be subjected to action, thereby permitting the remainder of the water to remain undisturbed, thus insuring effective separation of the grain.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

water supply pipe.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the means of a supply pipe 3 which is connected thereto in the manner shown. Observation of the drawings will disclose the fact that this water supply pipe 2 is disposed transversely across the upper edges of the walls of the tank, being slightly elevated above the spout 2. Inasmuch as this supply pipe is provided with a plurality of perforations 4 which open in a direction toward the discharge end of tank, it will be seen that during operation of the apparatus, the water will be sprayed from these perforations downward against the surface of the water in the tank, striking the surface of the water at such an angle as to create an endwise current. Particular emphasis is to be laid on this arrangement of parts, because of the fact that by creating a current only on the surface of the water, the remainder of water in the tank will remain quiet and undisturbed. It is obvious that this feature is extremely advantageous, in that after the heavy grain begins to deposit in the tank, it will not again be disturbed and become agitated, thereby rising upward and mingling with the waste material being carried out of the tank by the current created on the surface of the water, as would otherwise occur.

Not only does the supply pipe 3 serve the already mentioned important advantages,

' but it also serves as a means for supporting a grain chute 5 which is pivotally mounted thereon and solely supported thereby. It is important, that in an apparatus of this class, where a chute is employed, it will be found extremely advanta eous to adjustably mount it on the tank, such as I have done. By so mounting the chute it may be adjusted to various angles to suit different sizes and weights of grain. In other words, assum ing that the grain is delivered from a pipe upon the chute, and further assuming that this grain is of a heavy type, it will be found advantageous to adjust the chute in such a manner as to make the angle of inclination gradual. This adjustment should be carried out because of the fact that heavy grain issued from any suitable supply means and dropping on the chute will have a greater force of gravity than light grain, and for this reason it is desired to make the chute adjustable to prevent the grain from being fed against the surface of the water too fast. On the other hand, when light grain is being separated, it will be found that it will not slide down the chute so fast, or maybe not fast enough, so by changing the inclination of the chute 5 the feeding of the grain may be properly regulated, thereby improving the operation of the device. This chute may be adjustably mounted on the feed pipe in any suitable manner, but I have found it advantageous to provide it with eyes 6 which surround the pipe and permit rotation. To retain the chute at any desired angle, I employ set screws 7 v vhich coact with the eyes 6 and pipe 3 in the manner shown.

. If'the heavy grain were permitted to deposit directly into the tank 1, considerable difficulty would be encountered when removing it, so, I employ a separate receptacle 8 which is designed to be placed in the tank 1 and catch the good grain. The shape or design of this receptacle 8 will be governed by the shape of the tank with which it is employed. Receptacle 8 is provided at its bottom with a strainer 9, and it is also equipped with a handle 10 by means of which it is removed from the tank. While I have shown and described the strainer as being in the bottom of the receptacle, I desire it to be understood that it may be at any other point, or, in fact the entire receptacle may be made in the form of a perforated bucket. Employment of such a receptacle will be found extremely useful, in that the good.

grain will be deposited directly into it, and

when it is full, it may be readily removed,

from the tank. the water escaping through the strainer. This bucket or receptacle may be conveniently carried and its contents emptied at the desired place of deposit.

To increase the effectiveness of my separator, I construct the discharge end of the That is, this discharge end which has already been designated as a spout 2, includes a base or shelf- .like portion 11 which extends beyond one of the end walls 10 at the upper end of the tank, being in a plane with the normal level of the water in the tank. In addition to the the surface of the water.

base 11 the spout also includes sides or walls 12 which diverge from the walls of the tank in the manner shown. The passage through which the waste grain and water escapes is in the form of a tubular neck 13, it being so designed to connect a hose or pipe to be connected thereto to carry this waste grain to a suitable place of discharge or deposit. The outfiowing water, is guided toward the escape opening by means of a pair of metal strips 14 which are connected at one of their ends to the walls of the tank, and diverge toward and are connected to the sides 12 of the spout. This arrangement will confine the outfiowing water and waste grain between the strips 14: so as to form a guide, and also to prevent clogging of the waste grain in the corners joining the spout and tank.

In operation, the apparatus is placed near a grain discharge pipe in such a manner that the grain issuing from the pipe will fall on the chute 5. Inasmuch as the chute 5 is adjustable, the degree of inclination may be regulated according to the type of grain being separated, as already described. As a rule, water will remain in the tank 1 at all times, its level being in a line with the bottom 11 of this spout. Now, after the grain has started to slide down the spout and water is fed from the pipe 3 through the perforations 4, it will be seen that an endwise flowing current will be created on The grain dropping from the chute onto this current, will be separated. That is, the chaff and light particles of the grain will float on top of the water, and will be carried with the current toward the discharge end 2, escaping therefrom through a suitable tube or pipe which may be connected with the spout; while the heavy useful grain will, because of its weight, drop down into the grain receptacle 8 and will be deposited therein.

When once deposited in the receptacle 8 the grain will be practically undisturbed by reason of the fact that the portion of the water which surrounds it is practically undisturbed, as has already been described. After the receptacle 8 becomes filled with grain, it may be readily removed and carried to a suitable place of deposit. The front portion of the receptacle 8 is so formed as to provide a spout, so that the grain may be effectively emptied into abag or the like. The dumping operation of the receptacle 8 is also facilitated by reason of the fact that it is provided with a small handle, at the end opposite the spout, which will assist in tilting the same when the grain is being emptied into a bag or the like.

It is believed, that after thorough consideration of the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, that the operation and advantages of my separator are obvious, therefore, further description is deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred form of the same, and that various minor changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

I claim:

A grain separator comprising a water receptacle having an outlet spout at one end,

a Water pipe extending transversely of the Water receptacle at the opposite end from the outlet spout and having along its inner side outlet openings for directing water into the water receptacle and longitudinally thereof a grain chute extending longitudinally of the Water receptacle, bearings car ried by the grain chute and receiving said Water pipe to pivotally mount the chute upon the pipe, and means for releasably holding the chute in a set position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y CHARLES A. RIEOK. 

